Geranium plant named ‘Sabani Blue’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Geranium  plant named ‘Sabani Blue’ which carries upward-facing dark blue flowers early in the season and whose foliage forms a tight dome or mound which does not die down in the summer. In combination these traits set ‘Sabani Blue’ apart from all other existing varieties of  Geranium  known to the inventor.

Genus: Geranium.

Species: libani×ibericum ssp. jubatum.

Denomination: ‘Sabani Blue’.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of hardyGeranium grown for use as an ornamental plant for the landscape. The newcultivar is known botanically as Geranium libani×ibericum subspeciesjubatum, and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name‘Sabani Blue’.

The inventor has been a student, collector and breeder of Geraniumssince 1985. In particular, the inventor has pursued a scientificinterest in the botany of Geraniums including the possible relationshipsbetween its many species which the inventor has acquired and maintainedas individual species reference plants. The inventor's Geranium breedingprogram has explored these relationships as potential inter-specificcrosses. The breeding program has also aimed to create new andinteresting and garden-worthy cultivars with unusual combinations ofcharacteristics, as with the inventor's variety Geranium ‘Westray’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 13,716), itself the result of an inter-specific cross.

In 1993, the inventor carried out controlled pollination in theinventor's glasshouse in Orkney Island, Scotland, United Kingdom asfollows: An unnamed plant of the species Geranium libani (unpatented)was selected as the intended female parent, and its flowers wereemasculated and bagged until receptive. Pollen was transferred frombagged donor flowers taken from an unnamed plant of the species Geraniumibericum ssp jubatum (unpatented) as male parent. The female flowerswere re-bagged. Pollination was successful and the harvested seeds weresown in the spring of 1994. The resulting seedlings were grown on andobserved and, from these, ‘Sabani Blue’ was identified and isolated as asingle plant with perceived novel characteristics. ‘Sabani Blue’ wasobserved during the ensuing years until 1999 when ‘Sabani Blue’ wasfirst asexually reproduced by division under the inventor's directionand supervision, since which time ‘Sabani blue’ has remained true totype in all successive generations.

The new variety, ‘Sabani Blue’ is distinguished by its early flowering,its upward-facing flowers, its tolerance of full sun and its tightmounding foliage.

When compared with the female parent, an unnamed and typical plant ofthe species Geranium libani, ‘Sabani Blue’ retains its foliage insummer, whereas the foliage of plants of the species Geranium libanitends to die back in summer.

When compared with the male parent, an unnamed and typical plant of thespecies Geranium ibericum ssp. jubatum, ‘Sabani blue’ is earlier toflower, by approximately three weeks.

The closest plant known to the inventor, in vigor and overallappearance, to ‘Sabani Blue’ is the vegetatively propagated sterilehybrid, Geranium×magnificum (unpatented) which is derived from theinter-specific cross Geranium ibericum×Geranium platypetalum.Geranium×magnificum is considered to be one of the best and easiest togrow of hardy Geraniums, and has been assigned an Award of Garden Meritby The Royal Horticultural Society of England. ‘Sabani Blue’ is threeweeks earlier to flower than Geranium×magnificum.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In addition to the detailed observations described further herein, thefollowing general traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thedistinguishing characteristics of the new plant ‘Sabani Blue’. Incombination these traits set ‘Sabani Blue’ apart from all otherGeraniums known to the inventor. ‘Sabani Blue’ has not been tested underall possible conditions and phenotypic differences may be observed withvariations in environmental, climatic and cultural conditions, however,without any variance in genotype.

-   -   1. Geranium ‘Sabani Blue’ is early flowering.    -   2. The foliage of Geranium ‘Sabani Blue’ forms a tight dome or        mound which does not die down in the summer.    -   3. The flowers of Geranium ‘Sabani Blue’ are upward facing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color drawings illustrate the overall appearance of thenew cultivar ‘Sabani Blue’ showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the drawings may differ from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new variety ‘Sabani Blue’.

The drawing of ‘Sabani Blue’ labeled as FIG. 1 depicts a mature plantwhich is approximately 2 years old from a division and which has beengrown in an open border in a garden in Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom.

The drawing labeled as FIG. 2 depicts a close-up view of the flower andbud of ‘Sabani Blue’.

Both drawings were made using conventional techniques and althoughcolors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectancethey are as accurate as possible by conventional photography.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of the new Geranium plant named‘Sabani Blue’. Data was collected in Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom,from 2 year old plant growing in open border soil. The colordeterminations are in accordance with the 2001 Edition of The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society,London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Geranium libani×ibericum ssp. jubatum    ‘Sabani Blue’.-   Species: Libani×ibericum ssp. jubatum.-   Sexuality: Nominally hermaphrodite though some stamens in most    flowers are not fully formed; anthers vestigial or absent.-   Commercial classification: Hardy perennial.-   Common name: Hardy Geranium.-   Use: Ornamental for container or garden: best positioned in full    sun.-   Cultural requirements: Plant in well-drained moderately fertile soil    in full sun.-   Root system: Thick rootstock with fibrous roots.-   Parentage: Geranium ‘Sabani Blue’ is an induced hybrid resulting    from the controlled pollination of:    -   -   Male parent.—An unnamed single plant of the species Geranium            ibericum ssp. jubatum.        -   Female parent.—An unnamed single plant of the species            Geranium libani.-   Plant description:    -   -   Bloom period.—Commencing mid to late April and continuing            until September. Lastingness of an individual flower:            Approximately 5-7 days in spring and fall; 3-4 days in            summer.        -   Plant habit.—Upright, dense and mounding.        -   Height.—Within the range 570 mm to 650 mm.        -   Width.—Approximately 700 mm.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 6.        -   Propagation.—Propagation is accomplished by division.        -   Time for a division to establish.—If divided in spring, a            division with a single eye will begin to root within 2-3            weeks and will be an established growing plant in 4-6 weeks            after division.        -   Crop time.—3-4 months are needed to produce a finished plant            in a 1-liter container.-   Pest and disease susceptibility or resistance: Largely unaffected by    pest or disease problems although no specific resistances have been    established.-   Basal stem: Inconspicuous.-   Flowering stem:    -   -   Overall length.—530 mm-655 mm.        -   Number of nodes.—Typically approximately 5.        -   Internode length.—Highly variable, ranges from 50 mm to 205            mm.        -   Stem diameter.—Ranges from 4.7 mm-6.1 mm at lowest internode            to 2.5 mm-3.5 mm at higher and highest internode.        -   Stem shape.—Cylindrical.        -   Stem color (lowest internode).—Greyed-purple 185D but paler            towards base and tending to yellow-green 145B and 145C            towards first node.        -   Stem color (higher and highest internode).—Yellow-green 145A            but slightly less yellow.        -   Stem surface.—Moderately to densely pubescent; hairs            eglandular.        -   Development of laterals.—At each node, two laterals            developed more or less equally. Terminal flower suppressed            except at uppermost node.-   Leaves: Flowering stem leaves similar except for leaf and petiole    dimensions all of which decrease from basal leaves to uppermost    leaves as distinguished below.    -   -   Shape.—Orbicular.        -   Division.—Seven divisions, extending three-fourths of the            way towards midpoint; broadest one-fourth of the way towards            the tip. Upper divisions 3-lobed.        -   Apex.—Division tips cuspidate.        -   Base.—Lowest divisions on either side overlapping.        -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.        -   Vein color (adaxial and abaxial surfaces).—Green 137A.        -   Margins.—Deeply crenately toothed.        -   Attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Petioles.—Length (basal leaves): 298 mm-393 mm. Length            (higher leaves): decreasing towards apex: ranges from            approximately 150 mm to approximately 25 mm on uppermost            leaf. Diameter (basal leaves): 2.5 mm-3.0 mm. Diameter            (higher leaves): decreases towards apex: within range 2.5 mm            to 1.5 mm. Color: 143C but browner, strongly tinged with            greyed-purple 184A toward the base. Pubescence: Moderate to            dense, hairs eglandular.        -   Stipules.—Present. Length: 9 mm-15 mm. Width: 2 mm-5 mm.            Color: Papery, transparent, tinged green along midline.        -   Arrangement.—Rosette.        -   Leaf surface (adaxial surfaces).—Weakly rugose; sparsely            minutely pubescent, hairs eglandular.        -   Leaf surface (abaxial surfaces).—Sparsely pubescent, mainly            along the ribs, hairs eglandular.        -   Leaf dimensions.—Basal leaf: Length: 105 mm-139 mm. Basal            leaf: Width: 103 mm-148 mm. Higher leaves: size decreasing            towards apex: ranges from approximately 80 mm length, 80 mm            width to (uppermost leaf) approximately 35 mm length, 35 mm            width.        -   Leaf color (adaxial surface).—137A but slightly yellower.        -   Leaf color (abaxial surface).—138B but deeper and slightly            browner.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.-   Flowers:    -   -   Flowering stem.—Compound cyme with flowers suppressed at            lower nodes.        -   Number of flowers per stem.—In the range 18-67.        -   Inflorescence.—Where present at higher nodes, 1-2 flowered            cymules. All stems terminate in compound cyme of 4-9            flowers.        -   Bud shape.—Oval-elliptical.        -   Bud length.—12 mm-13 mm.        -   Bud diameter.—5 mm-6 mm.        -   Bud color.—Varies between 139C and 139D, with protruding            petal tips violet-blue N89A.        -   Peduncle length.—On 2-flowered cymules: 59 mm-98 mm. Final            internode length to terminal cyme: 63 mm-99 mm.        -   Peduncle diameter.—On 2-flowered cymules: approximately            1 mm. Final internode to terminal cyme: 1.5 mm-2.1 mm.        -   Peduncle color.—145A.        -   Peduncle surface.—Moderately to densely pubescent,            eglandular (cymules and compound cyme).        -   Sexuality.—Nominally hermaphrodite though some stamens in            most flowers are not fully formed; anthers vestigial or            absent.        -   Flower shape.—Saucer-shaped.        -   Flower dimensions.—Depth of throat (corolla): 7 mm-9 mm.            Diameter (corolla): 42 mm-47 mm.        -   Persistent or self-cleaning.—Corolla self-cleaning.        -   Aspect.—Upward to nodding.        -   Petals.—Five, unfused.        -   Petal shape.—Obcordate with shallow terminal notch.        -   Petal apex.—Emarginate.        -   Petal margin.—Entire, weakly waved.        -   Petal dimensions.—Length: 21 mm-24 mm. Width: 18 mm-20 mm.        -   Petal color (adaxial surfaces).—Violet N88B but paler with            veins nearest purple N79B. Basal one-eighth of surface            white, N155C but less yellow.        -   Petal color (adaxial surfaces).—Between Violet N88A and N88B            with veins nearest violet 83A. Basal one-eighth of surface            between 76B and 76C.        -   Petal surfaces.—Both smooth.        -   Calyx diameter.—20 mm-22 mm.        -   Calyx height.—3 mm-5 mm.        -   Calyx surface.—Sparsely pubescent, mainly along sepal            margins, eglandular.        -   Calyx color.—Sepals green 139D with midvein tending to            deeper green 139C and margins tinged red, closest to 53C.        -   Sepals.—Number: Five.        -   Sepal shape.—Ovate.        -   Sepal apex shape.—Strongly mucronate.        -   Sepal margin.—Entire.        -   Flower fragrance.—Absent.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Number: Ten, although in most flowers some not            fully formed, with anthers vestigial or absent. Some flowers            with no anthers present.        -   Stamen color.—See anther and filament below.        -   Stamen dimensions.—Filament approximately 5 mm in length,            less than 1 mm in width.        -   Anthers.—Vestigial or absent.        -   Anther color.—Where present, appears brownish-yellow.        -   Anther shape.—Linear.        -   Anther dimensions.—Approximately 2.5 mm in length, less than            1 mm in width. Color and Quantity of pollen: None observed.        -   Pistil.—Five, fused.        -   Pistil color and shape.—See stigma, style and ovary below.        -   Stigma shape.—Strongly reflexed.        -   Stigma color.—Nearest to Greyed-Purple 187D.        -   Stigma dimensions.—Approximately 3 mm in length; markedly            less than 1 mm in diameter.        -   Style shape.—Linear.        -   Style color.—Nearest to Greyed-Purple 187D.        -   Style dimensions.—Approximately 5 mm in length; less than 1            mm in diameter.        -   Ovary position.—Superior.        -   Ovary color.—Pale green, too small to match. Densely            pubescent.        -   Ovary shape.—Narrow ovate.        -   Ovary dimensions.—2 mm. in length and 1.5 mm in width.-   Seed production: No seed production has been observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Geranium plant named ‘Sabani Blue’ asdescribed and illustrated.